Notebook: After late start, Maldonado kicks into gear for Ducks

During the first few months of college, a young man’s mind can open up to a lot of things.

Alejandro Maldonado, Oregon’s punter a week ago against Arizona and perhaps Saturday at Oregon State, has come to believe something he never thought he would — that sitting out the first 10 games of the season “was a big-time positive thing.”

Maldonado lost the Ducks’ kicking job to Rob Beard in fall camp, and Oregon was so serious about redshirting Maldonado that walk-on Eric Solis was the kicker while Beard was suspended for the season’s opening game. Frustrated by the decision initially, Maldonado stuck to it in practice as the Ducks’ backup punter, and his perseverance paid off last week when Jackson Rice fell ill and Maldonado took off his redshirt for two punt plays.

“I’m glad I redshirted up to now,” said Maldonado, who acknowledged too that he couldn’t have imagined thinking that back in September. “I grew more, as a kicker and a punter.”

Rice remained listed on Oregon’s daily injury report because of an illness Monday and Tuesday, but with practices closed to the public, it’s unknown how he’s preparing for Saturday’s Civil War in Corvallis. It might be up to Maldonado to again serve as the Ducks’ punter.

Maldonado said he didn’t hesitate when told before the Arizona game that Rice was unable to play, and that the freshman from Colton, Calif., would need to burn a year of eligibility in the 11th game of the season.

“When things happen, you have to go with it,” Maldonado said. “The team needs me. With any player, when a player goes down, we need the backup to go in. Even if it’s a redshirting freshman, we have to step up.” Click here for the complete notebook.